Program Overview

Introduction to the Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice

The Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice is a comprehensive program that unifies a body of knowledge from numerous social science and other disciplines. This program is designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, gangs, gun violence, juvenile crime and justice, capital punishment, and crime prevention.

Program Overview

Students studying criminology and criminal justice develop the ability to demonstrate critical thinking that reflects a depth, breadth, and integration of knowledge in law, theory, research methods, statistics, and criminal justice policy. The program focuses on the three areas of the criminal justice system: policing, courts, and corrections. Coursework analyzes numerous issues, including the roles that class, race, gender, and culture play in crime and criminal justice.

General Education Requirements

Majors must satisfy the university and college general education requirements. Courses used to fulfill the social science or state requirement may not be taken from courses in the major. Foreign language proficiency is not required, although students are encouraged to take foreign language courses. Majors may not take the following courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis: criminology and criminal justice courses; SOC 3220, Quantitative Techniques in Sociology; or SOC 3230, Research Methods. Additionally, substitutions approved by departmental advisers for these courses may not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Declaring the Criminology and Criminal Justice Major

Students must complete the following courses before declaring the major:

• CRIMIN 1100: Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice (3 credits)
• CRIMIN 1110: Theories of Crime (3 credits)
• CRIMIN 2210: Research Methods in Criminology and Criminal Justice (3 credits)
• CRIMIN 2220: Statistical Analysis In Criminology And Criminal Justice (4 credits)

Degree Requirements

Courses used to fulfill the social science or state requirements may not be taken from courses in the major. Students may register for 4000-level courses only after completing ENGL 3100 (Advanced Expository Writing). Students may register for 5000-level courses only after prerequisites have been satisfied or after obtaining a signature from the adviser in criminology and criminal justice or consent of the instructor. Criminology majors may not take course numbers 1100, 2260, or 3345 offered through UM-Independent Studies to fulfill degree requirements in the major.

Core Curriculum

Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice candidates must complete the core curriculum listed below:

• The following courses in criminology and criminal justice are required (22 credits):
  • CRIMIN 1100: Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice
  • CRIMIN 1110: Theories of Crime
  • CRIMIN 1120: Criminal Law
  • CRIMIN 2130: Criminal Justice Policy
  • CRIMIN 2210: Research Methods in Criminology and Criminal Justice
  • CRIMIN 2220: Statistical Analysis In Criminology And Criminal Justice
  • CRIMIN 4390: Seminar in Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Select one of the following (3 credits):
  • CRIMIN 2240: Policing
  • CRIMIN 2250: Courts
  • CRIMIN 2260: Corrections
• Select one of the following courses in Criminology and Criminal Justice (3 credits):
  • CRIMIN 3305: Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice
  • CRIMIN 4325: Gender, Crime, and Justice
  • CRIMIN 4330: Violence Against Women
  • CRIMIN 4340: Race, Crime, and Justice
• Select three additional CRIMIN courses at the 3000, 4000, or 5000 level (9 credits)

Total Hours: 37

Candidates must earn a minimum grade of C- in the following courses: CRIMIN 2220 Statistical Analysis in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and CRIMIN 4390 Seminar in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Candidates must also have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better in the major.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice program can pursue a variety of career paths, including:

• Legal Assistant
• Corrections Officer
• Probation & Parole Officer
• Private Investigator
• Loss & Prevention Administrator
• Police Officer
• Urban Planner
• Career Counselor
• Youth Outreach Coordinator
• Court Reporter

This program provides excellent preparation for law school, and many pre-law students choose criminology and criminal justice as an undergraduate major. All courses required to complete the BS are available online, and the university also offers a Master of Arts and a PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice for students wishing to continue their academic pursuits.